Hi, I am two weeks in with keto woe but been low carb for about 2yrs. I have completed my first 24hr fast and now am doing 16/8 fast most days. Just wanted to touch base with others who are doing the same and how has it helped you.

I was doing 16/8 to 20/4 IF last summer and fall and lost a good 20 pounds with very little extra effort. Winter has been a bit more challenging for me, but I seem to always feel better when I can get into a regular IF routine.

At my last regular Dr. checkup, my a1c level had decreased 0.6 points from the previous check 6 months earlier. I (mostly) attribute this to IF, as my LCHF/keto journey has been far from smooth, so far. Still working on that…

Hi Carla,
I am doing 16/8 daily now and am getting around 5-6 carbs a day. I read that I need to make sure that I get 30g of protein at each of the two meals I have. My questions is whether I am getting enough carbs? I will make sure that I get the protein in but I don’t really want to eat and when I do I get full really fast.

As I understand it, you really don’t need to worry about getting enough carbs, but rather want to make sure you don’t eat too many. Your body can make whatever blood glucose it needs* from certain amino acids. So if you are getting enough protein, that’s the key nutrient.

A very few body tissues - red blood cells, for one - are unable to use any source of energy but glucose. But they don’t require much, and they get first dibs from the bloodstream.

Carbohydrate is the only non-essential macronutrient. You could eat zero carbs and survive just fine. Without protein or fat you will eventually die, however.

I always do 16/8 IF for a few reasons. It helps my focus and helps me during long clinical days. It also reduces cravings. Long before IF was A Thing, I found I naturally ate in an 8 hour window if I followed my body’s cycle. Sometimes I will do 20/4, but that’s much harder for me. 16/8 is much easier on me usually.